The present invention relates to the field of audio detectors and audio alarms, and is more particularly directed to a noise alarm used in a classroom to detect and react to noise exceeding a predetermined level.
A typical audio alarm device consists of a microphone, amplifier, sound switch, and associated sounding means which can range from a piezoelectric buzzer to a horn or siren. Sound alarms are often used in the home, office, factory, or automobile to detect intrusion or burglary, whereby the device detects and recognizes "break-in" sounds which differ in frequency or intensity from normal, ambient noise. To prevent false triggering, many sound alarm devices incorporate audio filters, time delay circuits, and sound cancellation circuits.
Although most learning institutions are concerned about burglary, a sound alarm can be used during normal teaching hours for an entirely different purpose; discipline. During the course of an average classroom day, the instructor finds that he or she must spend much time gently or forcefully reminding the students to be quiet so that the learning situation can continue. Too often the teacher must repeat the shopworn phrase, "You're too noisy!" even when the class is highly motivated and well-behaved, since the combined whispers and comments of thirty or so exuberant youngsters can quickly build to an earsplitting crescendo. Most instructors know they must demand a very fine line of discipline between normal, spontaneous vocal reaction to a given learning situation and uncontrolled cacophony which can quickly destroy the learning situation for the classroom involved, as well as adjoining classrooms. And, too often, this uncontrolled cacophony can erupt if the teacher must temporarily leave the classroom.
Thus, it is important for the instructor to consistently define for his students a certain level of noise which will be tolerated within his classroom. The students soon learn what the toleration level is and will conform to this level if they are consistently penalized when the noise level is broken. Here the task of establishing and maintaining an acceptable noise level can be consistently, automatically, and objectively accomplished by an electronic noise alarm. The alarm will continue to maintain a given acceptable noise level, even if the instructor must momentarily leave the classroom. Best of all, the teacher will rarely find it necessary to personally admonish his students with, "You're too noisy!" thus being able to devote all of his energy to the paramount task of teaching. It is, therefore, a general object of the present invention to provide a noise alarm which is used in a classroom to detect and react to noise exceeding a predetermined level, so the learning situations of the classroom and adjoining classrooms are not destroyed.